Middle School at Shannon Forest Christian School

The three grades in Middle School, developmentally, are three of the most diverse and difficult years for all students.  Students grow exponentially in all areas at different rates in these grades.  Middle school is full of tall girls, short boys, boys with facial hair and girls who are often more mature than their male counterparts.  It is a unique and diverse world, and at times, it can be a very difficult world to navigate if students are left to navigate it on their own.

Middle School students begin to grow physically, emotionally, spiritually and cognitively at different rates in Middle School.  Up to this point, student growth has been fairly constant. Students in 6th - 8th Grades begin to look at the world as individuals.  Their emotions guide their choices.  Cognitively, they move from a purely concrete way of thinking, where everything is in polarized camps of good and bad, to more of an abstract one, where things are no longer as neat.  And spiritually, Middle School is where their faith begins to become their own.  Needless to say, there is a lot of change occurring in these critical years, which speaks to the need for a Middle School that addresses these changes.

As Shannon Forest, our goals in Middle School are rooted in preparing students for our High School, for life and for eternity.  One of the first areas we have identified as a need is the attention to fine tuning the executive functional skills - organization, time management and study skills of our students.  This is a need that all students must have today.  The onset of technology has created a void in the area of developing executive functional skills for all students.  Our Middle School will be designed to instill in each student these skills in ways that are unique to them.  This will be done in a non-evasive, informal way that flows out of their day and puts no additional pressure on them.

Secondly, our Middle School will create a safe, student-oriented space where students can be Middle School students.  Middle School is a way in which our 6th - 8th Grade students can be known in a more intimate way.  These students need an advocate, an encourager, a motivator, and a leader who understands who they are and where they are in life.  We aim to provide those people for our students.

Third, the spiritual development of Middle School students is vastly different than those of Elementary students or even High School students. Middle school students begin to examine their world through their own eyes; they begin to consider questions never before contemplated.  Our Middle School will be a place where students can begin to crystallize a worldview that will guide them through life.

And finally, our Middle School will be enhanced to prepare students for our High School and beyond.  We begin with our 5th Grade students - preparing them for the transition to 6th Grade.  Crusaders Crossroads is designed specifically for that transition.  We have found that when rising 5th Grade students have a context of what is coming the next year, their anxiety levels go down.  Once students enter Middle School they will enter a school with an intentional plan for each grade designed to prepare them for the next grade, High School and life.

In closing, it is impossible to communicate all that will take place in our Middle School.  We want to encourage you to come to us with your questions and comments.  The enhancement of this program is an extension of our partnership with all parents.  We have intentionally made the process a slow one in order to fine-tune our Middle School program in step with who we are as a school and who you are as parents.  Our door is always open.

Thank you for your partnership with us in the education of your children.  Blessings to all of you!  

Craig L. Bouvier

Head of School

What Does Middle School Look Like at Shannon Forest?

- Guest post from Middle School Lead Teacher Kara Wheeler

It happens all the time.  I can be in conversation with someone and the question always comes up, “So, what do you do?” Most recently it was a nurse at my son’s doctor’s office.  This is the part on which I can depend.  The part that is the same in almost any situation.  Before I answer, I am already picturing the response. The recoil, the grimace, the recovery, the apologetic smile… as if teaching Middle School English was some cruel punishment passed down to me because of some horrid crime I committed.  “I teach Middle School,” I responded with smile.  And, sure enough, I receive the response I was expecting.

Many people cringe at the thought of teaching Middle School.  Not me.  I love it.  I love the challenge, the hormones, the changes, the breakthroughs, the questions, the lightbulb moments, and the self-discovery.  So, when Mr. Bouvier asked me to “enhance” the Middle School, I felt as though I was being handed a gift.  I was being given the task of taking something I LOVE and making it even better.   As a classroom teacher, I have an advantage.  I can use what I know about students and cater to the Middle School students’ emotional, spiritual, cognitive, and intellectual needs.  

So, what will the new Shannon Forest Middle School look like?  First, it will look like Shannon Forest Christian School (SFCS).  In today’s society, full of distractions and devices, it has become apparent to us, at SFCS, that students seem to lack a sense of organization and management.  Our first order of business is to devote intentional time to help students take notes, time manage, plan for daily study time, and organize their belongings.  As Middle School teachers, we recognize that when a student establishes good life-skill behaviors during 6th, 7th, and 8th Grades, they are much better prepared for High School and college. We hope to instill a sense of ownership of these skills by our students in order for them to be better prepared for our High School and life.

Additionally, we hope to establish a consistent and continuous instruction set.  During Middle School, students are changing, and nothing seems constant.  They are growing and changing…their identity, their handwriting, how they decorate their rooms, who they hang out with, their style, choice of music…all during these 3 years.  Their voices change and so do their hairstyles.   At times, these changes can become overwhelming.  If we, as a school, can keep Middle School teachers, standards, and routines consistent, we hope this will bring balance to the ever-changing lives of our Middle School students. As a Middle School, our goal will be to establish classroom routines and expectations that are consistent from one teacher to another, keeping at least one aspect of the ever-changing life of a Middle School student constant.

Middle School changes are coming to Shannon Forest Christian School for one reason… because it will afford us more opportunities to provide your children with an education marked by wisdom, excellence and purpose. Thank you again for trusting us with the education of your children.